The 2017 NFL Draft Top 10 Tight Ends: Pre-Senior Bowl

Sep 10, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) warms up before the game against the University of Texas at El Paso at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Few positions have undergone a more radical transformation over the past three decades than tight ends, and the 2017 NFL draft reflects that.

It used to be a position that was about blocking first and then being able to catch the occasional passes. Now many teams have begun to build their offensive schemes around stars like Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce. It can’t be a coincidence that teams with great tight ends tend to have more success. Good news then because it looks like the upcoming class is loaded with potential starters. It’s matter of figuring out who is the best.

Here is a breakdown of the top 10 names on the board going into the Senior Bowl at the end of January.

#10: Tyrone Swoopes (Texas)

This inclusion might surprise a lot of people. Not because of where Tyrone Swoopes plays in terms of school, but more where he plays in terms of position. He has spent most of his college career playing quarterback for the Longhorns. After getting his shot in 2014, he was relegated to the bench most of 2015 and 2016. Even so, teams haven’t forgotten the dimensions he brought to the table during his appearances on the field.

As a passer he was nothing special, but Swoopes showed everybody that he was without question a big athlete. His 6’4″, 250 lbs frame and long wingspan give him the look of a classic NFL tight end. Throw in some good speed and strong hands, it’s not the hardest sell at all. Being a former quarterback also means he’ll be ahead of the game in terms of having to learn a new position. If he catches on quick, he could end up being quite the surprise.

#9: Jeremy Sprinkle (Arkansas)

He’s not quite the standout athlete that his teammate Hunter Henry was coming out of Arkansas, but don’t sell Jeremy Sprinkle too short. As a blocker he’s tough and polished. He’ll seal lanes open on runs and can hold his own in pass protection. Not a surprise given the type of offense the Razorbacks have employed for years. He’d make a great fit in a traditional scheme with power running and a straight, pocket quarterback. That gives him a solid floor.

What people often miss is that Sprinkle has some pass catching skills. He wasn’t used too often, but he made the most of his opportunities. A combination of a rangy 6’6″ frame and sneaky running ability allowed him to produce some impact plays in the passing game. He’s not as explosive as other players on this list, but he has that knack for finding the dead spots in coverage and producing the occasional first downs.

#8: Cole Hikutini (Louisville)

It’s amazing that a player who helped a teammate win the Heisman trophy went so unnoticed. Or maybe people avoid mentioning him because his last last name could be a bit tricky. Either way Cole Hikutini should be getting more buzz than he has. Over the course of 2016 he proved to be one of the most reliable pass targets Lamar Jackson had at Louisville. He was especially effective in money down situations, keeping the chains moving with big catches for first downs.

His 6’5″ frame also presents a welcome target in the red zone as well. Like many on this list it will become apparent pretty fast that blocking wasn’t one of the prioritized skill sets in that offense. He takes poor angles in space and can often whiff letting defenders into the backfield on screen. Part of that is just not doing it very much. The good news is he’s shown capability when he does get his hands on somebody, which means he has room to grow.

#7: Evan Engram (Ole Miss)

Being compared to Jordan Reed is a double-edged sword in a sense. On the one hand that means Evan Engram is a dynamic receiving threat who brings speed, quickness and strong hands to the table. He provides all sorts of matchup advantages in passing situations. On the flip side, he’s almost entirely useless as a blocker. If anything Engram is a slightly over-sized receiver at 6’3″, 235 lbs. Leave him in pass protection at your own peril.

The best way to use his skills are in space. When allowed to get to the second level, he shows good technique and angles to get blocks on defensive backs and linebackers. It’s near the line of scrimmage where he becomes a liability. So it will take a heady offensive coordinator to understand it’s best to just use him as a receiving weapon and occasional blocker on screens and outside runs. Just do it like Washington has done it with Reed and things should work out.

#6: Jake Butt (Michigan)

One of the hot debates this past year came in regards to whether top college prospects should be celebrated or villainized for skipping bowl games in order to avoid injuries ahead of the draft. Both sides bring decent arguments to the table. At the end of the day though, it’s difficult to sell the idea of playing in a meaningless game that could potentially cost you millions of dollars. Few players learned that harsh lesson better than Jake Butt.

The Michigan tight end was viewed as one of the top prospects in the 2017 class. A nice mesh of size, functional speed and sturdiness. He was their reliable passing weapon up the middle and lent a steady hand in blocking as well. Most felt his chances of cracking the 1st round were good if he ran well at the combine. Then he tore his ACL. Now he’ll likely be a 3rd or 4th round choice. Not great for him but potentially huge for whichever team gets him that late.

#5: Bucky Hodges (Virginia Tech)

When it comes to height and catch radius, nobody in the 2017 draft class will top Bucky Hodges. The kid is every bit of 6’7″ with the kind of basketball-type body that allows him to line up on the outside like a wide receiver. He’s a good athlete who can go up and get the football in contested situations while showcasing his athleticism as a runner too. A number of times he took hand-offs out of the backfield and ran through holes for sizable gains.

As a route runner and blocker though, he needs work. Too many time Hodges was locked down, unable to create separation from defenders. Though he’s adept at drawing interference penalties, he has to learn to get himself open more often. Then there is the issue of his slender build. At present he looks more like a big wide receiver than a tight end. It hurts him in blocking situations. Adding more weight and muscle will be an the agenda once he’s drafted.

#4: Gerald Everett (South Alabama)

For the modern NFL offense, Gerald Everett is a perfect fit. He is every bit the new age receiving tight end teams look for. At 6’4″, 240 lbs he’s a sleek athlete with the speed to get up the seam fast and the quickness to run precise routes and create separation. His biggest assets though are his hands. Normally if the ball is anywhere in the vicinity, he’s going to catch it. That’s what made him so difficult to stop in the red zone on several plays in college.

As one would expect though what he has his speed and agility for a tight end, he lacks in bulk and blocking power. Everett not only exhibits lazy fundamentals in blocking situations, he’s also frequently overpowered against bigger lineman or linebackers. Stressing improvement on his technique will be the best way for him to stay on the field in those situations. Otherwise he may become just a part-time player. That would be an unfortunate waste of some impressive skills.

#3: Jordan Leggett (Clemson)

Size? Speed? Good hands? Jordan Leggett checks every one of those boxes, which is why he was one of the key facets to that dynamic Clemson offense that led the way to the national championship victory over Alabama. What gets lost so often about him though isn’t just his receiving ability, but how he performs in the clutch. He made two huge touchdown catches to seal victories over Florida State and Louisville this season. Then he made the circus grab that set up the winning score against the Tide.

Leggett also shows plenty of effort and toughness in blocking, though he’s better at opening holes in the run or on screen. The problem is he doesn’t always use good technique with his hands and arms. This will open him up to serious problems against more savvy defenders in the NFL unless it’s cleaned up. Even so his speed and route running ability should make him an instant contributor from Day 1 who can really make life hard on linebackers and safeties.

#2: David Njoku (Miami Fl.)

There are some receiving tight ends who are just effective at catching the football for a gain and then just waiting for the hit. Then there are those who choose to attack the defense once the ball is in their hands. David Njoku is that kind of player. The Miami product stood out most often after he made the catch, looking like a running back in the way he was able to either shake or run over tacklers while picking up extra yardage on plays. It was why he became a favorite target for quarterback Brad Kaaya.

On top of that, despite a somewhat leaner build he shows both the willingness and solid technique to help in blocking situations. A number of times he was able to get a seal block on a running play for a nice gain or a touchdown. Sometimes he doesn’t have the quick adjustment in pass protection though, which more athletic rushers can take advantage of. Other than that though he looks like a future staple in somebody’s offense.

#1: O.J. Howard (Alabama)

The mark of the best tight ends is whether or not they check two key boxes. Can they get out on a route and catch passes and can they block? That first part is something O.J. Howard can do with regularity. For the second time he was borderline unstoppable in the national championship game. Clemson had no answer for his mix of size, quickness and ability to run solid routes. If Alabama had a better QB under center, he would’ve torched them even worse.

The Crimson Tide just didn’t use him often because of their run-first system. That makes it easy to forget Howard is also an effective blocker. His build allows him to take on linebackers and defensive ends without getting overpowered. This means he’ll be able to stay on the field regardless of situation. Hopefully he’ll land in a system that understands how to take better advantage of his vast array of receiving talents.